Castle Hill Local Nature Reserve

The chalky slopes of Castle Hill rise sharply above Newhaven, offering one of those unexpected rewards you get for bothering to leave the seafront. It's a proper chalk grassland reserve, which sounds dull until you actually get up there and realise the views across the valley are genuinely excellent.

The path winds up through scrubby undergrowth and becomes steeper than you'd anticipate - wear decent shoes. Once you're at the top, you can see why someone thought it worth fortifying this spot centuries ago. The reserve itself is managed for its wildflowers, which puts on a decent show in late spring and summer. Chalkhill blues and marbled whites if you're into that sort of thing, though honestly the real draw is the walk itself and the vantage point.

It's not a long outing - allow 45 minutes to an hour for the climb and a poke around the top. Worth combining with a proper visit to Newhaven itself, though the town's had better days. If you're based at Three Ponds Holiday Park nearby, it makes a good morning escape before the weather turns foul.

Solid for walkers and anyone after a bit of Sussex downland without the crowds. Kids will manage it fine, though they'll probably find the lack of facilities (there aren't any) a bit tedious. Free to access - the council has done right by this one. Go mid-week if possible; weekends draw the Newhaven regulars.